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This article provides the details on how to use one of the most useful system management APIs, QUSROBJD.

Whether you're looking for unused objects, analyzing library differences, or checking how current your source is, QUSROBJD provides a wide range of valuable information—so much, in fact, that you might want to spend a little time up front to make it really easy to use in your programs. IBM provides predefined /COPY books to access their APIs, but this article will introduce you to a more modern approach that can be used for QUSROBJD and throughout the IBM i API universe.

What Is QUSROBJD?

QUSROBJD (officially known as the Retrieve Object Description API) provides a programmatic way to retrieve the information you would normally get through the DSPOBJD command. QUSROBJD is probably one of the first APIs I ever used, along with QWCCVTDT. I checked, and QUSROBJD has been around since V1R3 of the operating system, so it's not surprising that it's one of the first APIs I used.

QUSROBJD lets you retrieve nearly everything you need to know about an object. In fact, until the advent of ILE programming, there wasn't anything I needed to know about an object that I couldn't get from this API. A bit further on in this series of articles, we'll get to a discussion of the QBNLPGMI API and why we need it, but for now we can concentrate on QUSROBJD.

Like many IBM i APIs, QUSROBJD can return many different formats of data. The format of the returned data is specified as one of the parameters to the API. You can see the parameter list in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Here’s the parameter list for QUSROBJD from the IBM website.

As you can see, there aren't many parameters. QUSROBJD uses a relatively standard configuration shared by many IBM i APIs: a pointer to the receiver variable, its length, a format name that identifies the data to return, and one or more parameters to identify the object being queried. In this case, the values are the object library and name and the object type. The library and name are passed together in a single 20-character variable. This is very traditional in API programming; the object name is in the first 10 characters, and the object library is in the other 10. You'll notice two optional parameter groups. The word “group” is very loose; in this case, each group consists of a single parameter. I don't use the ASP parameter, but the error parameter is very important. For much more detail on it, please refer to my earlier article on API error handling.

So to clarify, the API can return several different configurations of information. Currently, QUSROBJD can return data in one of four layouts. Each has its own format identifier, and you specify that identifier as the third parameter when you call the API.

Doing Things the IBM Way

As I noted at the beginning of the article, IBM provides you with /COPY books to use to access the API. They're pretty barebones; they provide very simple definitions of the data structures that are geared toward programming in fixed-format RPG. They've got both RPG/400 and ILE RPG versions, but the ILE RPG uses fixed-format D-specs. Here is a comparison of the two styles (after removing the comments):

I'QUSROBJD' CQUSFDB

IQUSFF DS

IB 1 40QUSFFB

IB 5 80QUSFFC

I 9 18QUSFFD

I 19 28QUSFFF

Listing 1: This is the RPG/400 version of the QUSROBJD definition in QRPGSRC in QSYSINC.

D QUSROBJD C 'QUSROBJD'

DQUSD0100 DS

D QUSBRTN06 1 4I 0

D QUSBAVL07 5 8I 0

D QUSOBJN00 9 18

D QUSOBJLN 19 28

Listing 2: This is the ILE RPG version of the QUSROBJD definition in QRPGLESRC in QSYSINC.

As you can see, it's a pretty low-tech conversion from one to the other. They updated the field names, and the numeric value changed from binary (B) to integer (I), but other than that it's still old-school RPG. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you; it meets the requirements of the lowest common denominator. But it's definitely not my preferred technique, especially the from and to positions for the field definitions. Something else becomes clear once you start looking at the other data structures, such as the one below for QUSD0200.

DQUSD0200 DS

D QUSBRTN07 1 4I 0

D QUSBAVL08 5 8I 0

D QUSOBJN01 9 18

D QUSOBJLN00 19 28

Listing 3: The first lines of the OBJD0200 layout are nearly identical to the OBJD0100 definitions.

This is the definition for the OBJD0200 format, and you'll see that the first fields are the same as the first fields of the OBJD0100 format, except with slightly different names. Why is this? Well, the QUSROBJD API has a quirk in that every format is like the previous format but with more fields. In fact, in the definition on the IBM website, the first line of the definition for OBJD0200 literally says "everything from the OBJD0100 format." That being the case, you have to replicate all the fields for OBJD0100 in each of the four data structures. And since this is old-school RPG with no concept of qualified names, you have to have slightly different names for each field, hence the strange (and somewhat inconsistent) suffixes on the end of the repeated fields. As you can imagine, it's even worse in the /COPY books for RPG/400, with the six-character field name limitation.

In a fixed-format ILE RPG program, your code might look like this:

CCALL QUSROBJD

CPARM QUSD0100

CPARM QUSD0100L

CPARM 'OBJD0100' QUSDFMT 10

CPARM OBJNAMLIB

CPARM OBJTYPE

CPARM ErrorDS

Listing 4: This would be a standard fixed-format call to the API.

There are a couple of additional definitions; the value QUSD0100L must be a four-byte integer (10I0, or int(10)) containing the length of the QUSD0100 structure, OBJNAMLIB must be a 20-character field with the object name and library as noted earlier, and OBJTYPE is a 10-character field containing the object type. ErrorDS needs to be a structure in one of the formats detailed in the API error handling article.

Freeing Your APIs

There's really no problem with the /COPY books that IBM provides. They're perfectly functional. But even after all that, you still have to figure out where the data is. And does a field name like QUSTD13 really indicate to you that it's the object's description? No, it doesn't. So instead, let me show you what I've done. Since the beginning of each data structure is exactly the same as the entire preceding data structure, I've created a set of templates. I've done one for each of the four structures, defining the fields unique to that structure. Here are the first two:

dcl-ds T_OBJD_0100 templatequalified;

BytesRtn int(10);

BytesAvl int(10);

Object char(10);

Library char(10);

ObjectType char(10);

LibFound char(10);

ASP int(10);

Owner char(10);

Domain char(2);

CreateTS13 char(13);

ChangeTS13 char(13);

end-ds;

dcl-ds T_OBJD_0200 templatequalified;

ExtendedAttr char(10);

Description char(50);

SrcFile char(10);

SrcLib char(10);

SrcMbr char(10);

end-ds;

Listing 5: These are the first two of the four templates for QUSROBJD.

The T_OBJD_0100 template contains all the fields for the OBJD0100 data structure. T_OBD_0200 contains all the fields for the OBJD0200 that are not in the OBJD0100 structure. The T_OBJD_0300 and T_OBJD_0400 templates follow the same pattern. You may notice that I do not use positioning for the subfields of the data structure. Instead, I define every spot in the data structure. This works as long as the data structure is entirely defined, which it is in the IBM /COPY books, even if they do occasionally resort to defining "reserved" sections. We can debate the pros and cons of sequential definitions versus positioned definitions another day, but sequential definitions are essential for the next part. Now I use those templates as building blocks for my actual structures:

dcl-ds T_OBJD0100 qualifiedtemplate;

A0100 likeds(T_OBJD_0100);

end-ds;

dcl-ds T_OBJD0200 qualifiedtemplate;

A0100 likeds(T_OBJD_0100);

A0200 likeds(T_OBJD_0200);

end-ds;

dcl-ds T_OBJD0300 qualifiedtemplate;

A0100 likeds(T_OBJD_0100);

A0200 likeds(T_OBJD_0200);

A0300 likeds(T_OBJD_0300);

end-ds;

dcl-ds T_OBJD0400 qualifiedtemplate;

A0100 likeds(T_OBJD_0100);

A0200 likeds(T_OBJD_0200);

A0300 likeds(T_OBJD_0300);

A0400 likeds(T_OBJD_0400);

end-ds;

Listing 6: Using the first template, I can now build the data structures.

So, as an example, my T_OBJD0300 structure contains three substructures, one for each set of fields. This is where qualified data structures become so much fun! Whenever I want to get at, say, the object owner, I simply access dsObject.A0100.Owner. It doesn't matter which data structure I used to define dsObject; the Owner subfield is always in the A0100 substructure. This is why I define even my highest-level structures as templates: that way, I can name my structures whatever I want in the calling program. Finally, I have the actual prototype here:

// QUSROBJD - Retrieve object description

dcl-pr QUSROBJD ExtPgm;

iData char(32767)Options(*VarSize);

iDataLen int(10)Const;

iDataFmt char(8)Const;

iObjQName char(20)Const;

iObjType char(10)Const;

ErrorDS char(32767)Options(*VarSize);

end-pr;

Listing 7: This is the prototype for the API itself.

Now that you have the infrastructure in place, calling the API becomes very simple. Let's take a situation: you want to write a procedure that will return the program type for a program (e.g., RPG, RPGLE, or CLLE). You can now write a procedure to do that with about 10 lines of code:

dcl-proc getAttribute;

dcl-pi *n char(10);

iPgm char(10);

iLib char(10);

end-pi;

dcl-ds dsObject likeds(T_OBJD0200);

dcl-ds apiError likeds(api_ErrorDS);

QUSROBJD( dsObject:%size(dsObject):'OBJD0200':

iPgm+iLib:'*PGM': apiError);

return dsObject.A0200.ExtendedAttr;

end-proc;

Listing 8: Using the free-format QUSROBJD prototype.

That's all there is to it. I'm glossing over a bit, such as error handling, but that's been covered in detail in the other article. What's important about this is how simple it is to call the API. I can easily call it to get additional information by simply using a different template (i.e., T_OBJD0400) and passing in a different format name. It's that easy.

Of course, the trick now is to create all those free-format API definitions for other APIs. I'm tempted to write a program that will extract that information from the IBM /COPY books. While the data structure field names are very cryptic, the comments are quite good, and I could probably extract meaningful field names from them.

It's something to think about. But until then, I hope you enjoyed this introduction to QUSROBJD and free-format APIs.

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Getting Started with IBM i Security: System Values

Set the tone for data protection with security-relevant system values

Experts’ fears surrounding the risks associated with poor configuration were recently confirmed by the 2016 State of IBM i Security Study. Published annually, the results reveal most Power Systems lack adequate security controls and auditing measures.

In this fast-paced webinar series, leading experts Robin Tatam and Carol Woodbury share insight into critical areas of IBM i security.

The series opens with an introduction to security-relevant system values.

System values are one of the fundamental elements of IBM i security. The security system values enable you to “set the tone” of security on your IBM i, enforce password composition rules, and enable auditing. Watch this on-demand webinar to see Carol Woodbury describe these system values and provide guidance on their best practice settings.

Getting Started with IBM i Security: Integrated File System (IFS)

The IFS is one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of IBM i securityExperts’ fears surrounding the risks associated with poor configuration were recently confirmed by the 2016 State of IBM i Security Study. Published annually, the results reveal most Power Systems lack adequate security controls and auditing measures. In this fast-paced webinar series, leading experts Robin Tatam and Carol Woodbury share insight into critical areas of IBM i security. This recorded session has Robin Tatam introducing IFS security: - Defining IFS - How the IFS is configured - Common IFS security mistakes- What a virus can do to IBM i through the IFS - Tracking user activity

​7 Habits of Highly Secure Organizations

Everyone knows that cyber security is important, but getting started on the road to data protection and compliance can be confusing and intimidating. Understanding common vulnerabilities helps you focus your attention and resources on the areas that need the most help. We all want “best-practice” security, but what are top organizations doing to achieve and maintain it? Watch this webinar to learn the details about how to develop the seven habits that are part of daily life for secure organizations. You’ll learn how to: - Break the Ostrich Syndrome - Develop a Security Policy - Assess Current Standing - Perform Security Event Logging and Review - Use “Best of Breed” Technologies - Monitor for Ongoing Compliance - Plan for the Future This on-demand webinar examines what each of these habits means to IBM i, and helps you make sure that you don’t become the next security statistic.

An Introduction to PCI Compliance on IBM Power Systems

"From the world's largest corporations to small Internet stores, compliance with the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is vital for all merchants who accept credit cards, online or offline, because nothing is more important than keeping your customer’s payment card data secure.” — PCI Security Standards Council Complying with the PCI standard is a normal part of doing business in today’s credit-centric world. But, PCI applies to multiple platforms. The challenge becomes how to map the general PCI requirements to a specific platform, such as IBM i. And, more importantly, how can you maintain—and prove—compliance? Watch this webinar to understand: - How PCI requirements relate to IBM i systems - IBM i-specific barriers to compliance - How PowerTech security solutions help you fulfill PCI requirements, meet compliance guidelines, and satisfy auditors You’ll leave with the knowledge and confidence you need to evaluate PCI compliance requirements and prepare your IBM i system for today’s regulatory challenges.

Implementing Multiple Layers of Defense

Your IBM i holds a massive amount of data. In most organizations, that data constitutes a mission-critical and high-value asset.

How do you adequately protect the data residing on your IBM i, given its value to your organization? IBM has provided us with many options for protecting our data, but it’s now always clear how to select and implement the best options for your circumstances.

This recorded webinar describes IBM i’s different data security options, along with implementation recommendations and tips for getting started. Carol Woodbury, one of the world’s top IBM i security experts, also provides considerations to help you determine how many layers of security are right for your organization.

Data Breaches: Is IBM i Really at Risk?

IBM i is known for its security, but this OS could be more vulnerable than you think. Although Power Servers often live inside the safety of the perimeter firewall, the risk of suffering a data leak or data corruption remains high. Watch noted IBM i security expert Robin Tatam as he discusses common ways that this supposedly “secure” operating system may actually be vulnerable and who the culprits might be.

Easy Mobile Development

Watch this on-demand webinar and learn how to rapidly and easily deploy mobile apps to your organization – even when working with legacy RPG code! IBM Champion Scott Klement will demonstrate how to: - Develop RPG applications without mobile development experience - Deploy secure applications for any mobile device - Build one application for all platforms, including Apple and Android - Extend the life and reach of your IBM i (aka iSeries, AS400) platform You’ll see examples from customers who have used our products and services to deliver the mobile applications of their dreams, faster and easier than they ever thought possible! Watch this Webinar Now!

Profound UI: Unlock True Modernization from your IBM i Enterprise

Modern, web-based applications can make your Enterprise more efficient, connected and engaged. This session will demonstrate how the Profound UI framework is the best and most native way to convert your existing RPG applications and develop new modern applications for your business. Additionally, you will learn how you can address modernization across your Enterprise, including databases and legacy source code, with Profound Logic. We will demonstrate how Profound UI: - Goes beyond simple screen-scraping to truly modernize your RPG applications - Uses RPG Open Access and your own RPG code and development talent to modernize - Supports rapid development with an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop Designer - Integrates with our on-the-fly modernization, mobile development, and Enterprise Modernization solutions

5 New and Unique Ways to Use the IBM i Audit Journal

High availability for IBM i has been a hot topic in 2017, jumping 20% from our 2016 survey to take the #2 seat on IT priority lists just behind cybersecurity. And no surprise with these two topics so closely tied to your most valuable asset: your irreplaceable business data. With major airline outages last year and the recent ransomware attacks, you must be asking yourself: am I doing everything I can to protect my organization’s data? Tune in as our panel of IBM i high availability experts—Tom Huntington, Matt Staddler, and Cole Ragland—deliver lively discussion around the top high availability issues of today, including:

Why companies don’t test role swaps when they know they should

Whether high availability in the cloud makes sense for IBM i users

Why some organizations don’t have high availability yet

How to get high availability up and running at your organization

High availability considerations for today’s security concerns

There are no do-overs when it comes to your data. Once it’s gone, it’s gone...unless you have a data replication layer in place to protect it. Learn the value of these strategic solutions and how you can implement them in a hurry—watch now!

Profound.js 2.0: Extend the Power of Node to your IBM i Applications

In this Webinar, we'll demonstrate how Profound.js 2.0 enables you to easily adopt Node.js in your business, and to take advantage of the many benefits of Node, including access to a much larger pool of developers for IBM i and access to countless reusable open source code packages on npm (Node Package Manager). You will see how Profound.js 2.0 allows you to:

Make Modern Apps You'll Love with Profound UI & Profound.js

Roses are red, your UIs are green...It's time to make your apps proud to be seen! Whether you have green screens or a drab GUI, your outdated apps can benefit from modern source code, modern GUIs, and modern tools. Profound Logic's Alex Roytman and Liam Allan are here to show you how Free-format RPG and Node.js make it possible to deliver applications your whole business will love.In this webinar, you'll learn how you can use both Profound UI and Profound.js to:

Transform legacy RPG code to modern free-format RPG and Node.js

Deliver truly modern application interfaces with Profound UI

Extend your RPG applications to include Web Services and NPM packages with Node.js

This webinar will include a live product demonstration and Q&A with the presenters.

Download and watch today!

2017 IBM i Marketplace Revealed

IBM i is one of technology’s best-kept secrets, with little information available about what IBM i users are doing on this server. Even companies that use this technology struggle to explain to their own teams what IBM i stands for and who else is using it. The IBM i Marketplace Survey—now in its 3rd year—was designed to solve this problem. Watch this on-demand webinar for the exclusive results of the 2017 survey. IBM i Champion Tom Huntington is joined by a panel of technology experts to discuss year-over-year trends and new insights. The panel will discuss:

What other platforms do you run alongside IBM i?

What programming and Open Source languages are you using?

What are your top IT issues?

What version of POWER and what OS level is most prevalent?

Are you expanding your usage of IBM i?

Is IBM i a good ROI?

The expert panel will provide industry insight and comments about the results. When the webinar concludes, you’ll get access to the full results.

Accelerating Programmer Productivity with Sequel

Most business intelligence tools are just that: tools, a means to an end but not an accelerator. Yours could even be slowing you down. But what if your BI tool didn't just give you a platform for query-writing but also improved programmer productivity? Watch the recorded webinar to see how Sequel:

Makes creating complex results simple

Eliminates barriers to data sources

Increases flexibility with data usage and distribution

Accelerated productivity makes everyone happy, from programmer to business user.

Business Intelligence is Changing: Make Your Game Plan

Everyone wants a piece of your business data. But keeping up with data access requests in the era of constantly growing data is a challenge. As a result, your IT department can be overwhelmed, inundated, and constantly needing to play catch-up. It’s time to develop a strategy that will help you meet your informational challenges head-on. Watch the webinar to learn how to set your IT department up for business intelligence success in 2018. You’ll learn how the right data access tool will help you:

Access IBM i data faster

Deliver useful information to executives and business users

Empower users with secure data access

Ready to make your game plan and finally keep up with your data access requests?

Controlling Insider Threats on IBM i

Let’s face facts: servers don’t hack other servers. Despite the avalanche of regulations, news headlines remain chock full of stories about data breaches, all initiated by insiders or intruders masquerading as insiders. User profiles are often duplicated or restored and are rarely reviewed for the appropriateness of their current configuration. This increases the risk of the profile being able to access data without the intended authority or having privileges that should be reserved for administrators. Watch noted security expert Robin Tatam as he discusses a new approach for onboarding new users on IBM i and best-practices techniques for managing and monitoring activities after they sign on.

Don't Just Settle for Query/400...

There’s a better way to run your queries. With an advanced query tool like Sequel Data Access, you can deliver the IBM i data your organization needs quickly and efficiently—without the hang-ups. In this session, we’ll address common frustrations with Query/400, discuss major data access and distribution trends, and help you understand what to look for in a more advanced query tool. Plus, you’ll learn how a tool like Sequel lightens IT’s load by:

Accessing real-time data, so you can make real-time decisions

Providing run-time prompts, so users can help themselves

Delivering instant results in Microsoft Excel and PDF, without the wait

Watch the webinar and learn why you shouldn’t just settle for Query/400.

How to Manage Documents the Easy Way

What happens when your company depends on an outdated document management strategy? Everything is harder. Capturing documents means scanning and filing—which takes you away from tasks that actually matter to the business. Managing documents means sorting through an endless sea of shared folders or filing cabinets—and sometimes documents can’t be found. Distributing documents means following a frustrating, manual process for routing documents internally and sending them to vendors and customers. You don’t need to stick with status quo anymore. Watch the webinar to learn how to put effective document management into practice and:

Capture documents faster, instead of wasting everyone’s time

Manage documents easily, so you can always find them

Distribute documents automatically, and move on to the next task

Lessons Learned from the AS/400 Breach

Get actionable info to avoid becoming the next cyberattack victim. In “Data breach digest—Scenarios from the field,” Verizon documented an AS/400 security breach. Whether you call it AS/400, iSeries, or IBM i, you now have proof that the system has been breached. Watch IBM i security expert Robin Tatam give an insightful discussion of the issues surrounding this specific scenario. Robin will also draw on his extensive cybersecurity experience to discuss policies, processes, and configuration details that you can implement to help reduce the risk of your system being the next victim of an attack.

Monitor VIOS (and AIX) from Your IBM i

Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) runs on AIX and allows you to share input/output resources across logical partitions. The health of your VIOS server is critical to the performance of all your Power server partitions, so monitoring it is a must. Our 2017 IBM i Marketplace Survey Results uncovered a cool trend: an increasing number of IBM i shops are running AIX instances alongside IBM i on Power Systems servers. We like to see these systems playing nicely together on the same server, though it does shine a spotlight on shared resources. During this 30-minute recording, our experts demonstrate the new VIOS and AIX monitoring capabilities in Robot Monitor. You’ll learn about:

The top AIX metrics that impact VIOS

Real-time monitoring with dashboard displays

Threshold and notification options

Identifying trends to better allocate resources

With VIOS/AIX running alongside IBM i, you need visibility into your entire Power environment. Watch now to see how Robot Monitor can get you there!

Overwhelmed by Operating Systems?

You’re responsible for looking after Windows, Linux, AIX, and VIOS, but you worry that you don’t understand their complexities well enough to make your job effective—or easy. No problem! Simplify the management of multiple operating systems and applications without becoming experts in each area. In this 30-minute recorded webinar, our experts demonstrate how you can:

Manage multiple platforms from a central location

View monitoring results in a single pane of glass on your desktop or mobile device

This presentation includes a live demo of Network Server Suite and shows how easy monitoring multiple operating systems and applications can be using point-and-click technology.

Real-Time Disk Monitoring with Robot Monitor

When IBM i disk space pulls its notorious disappearing act, you don’t have time to waste figuring out how the trick is done. You need to know when disk space starts to disappear and where it has gone before system performance and productivity start to suffer. Looking behind the curtain to keep a close eye on disk space—especially in a multi-partition environment—can have its challenges, but every good admin can have an ace up their sleeve. Our experts will show you how Robot Monitor can help you pinpoint exactly when your auxiliary storage starts to disappear and why, so you can start taking a proactive approach to disk monitoring and analysis. You’ll also get insight into:

The main sources of disk consumption

How to monitor temporary storage and QTEMP objects in real time

How to monitor objects and libraries in real time and near-real time

How to track long-term disk trends

Start seeing through the sleight of hand and get instant visibility into disk usage. Add advance warning of potential threats and—abracadabra!—you’ll reduce the risk of disk space depletion and curb the sudden flurry of activity to clean things up.

Stop Re-keying Data Between IBM I and Other Applications

Still following manual processes for extracting and transferring data across platforms? You’re not alone. Many business still depend on RPG for their daily business processes and report generation. And that leads to a lot of manual effort. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could stop re-keying data between IBM i and other applications? Or if you could stop replicating data and start processing orders faster? Or what if you could automatically extract data from existing reports instead of re-keying? It’s all possible. Watch this webinar to learn about:

The data dilemma

3 ways to stop re-keying data

Data automation in practice

Plus, you’ll see a demonstration of how data automation software from HelpSystems will help you finally stop re-keying data.

Protecting your organization from cyberthreats has never been more important—or more difficult. IT pros have many tactics to choose from, but time (and budgets!) are not unlimited. The key is prioritizing risks and identifying the most effective ways to mitigate the danger. In 2018, HelpSystems surveyed more than 600 IT and cybersecurity professionals to find out what security exploits loom largest and what strategies they’re turning to for protection. In this on-demand webinar, our team of cybersecurity security experts analyzes results. You’ll learn about:

Security strategies your peers are most interested in implementing

How managers and executives prioritize security

Who is responsible for cybersecurity at organizations around the world

Where IT pros turn for assistance with security

You'll also get practical tips for using this data to drive cybersecurity conversations at your organization.

The Top Five RPG Open Access Myths....BUSTED!

When it comes to IBM® Rational® Open Access: RPG Edition (also known as RPG Open Access), there are still many misconceptions - especially where application modernization is concerned!

In this Webinar, we'll address some of the biggest myths about RPG Open Access, including:

The RPG language is outdated and impractical for modernizing applications

Modernizing with RPG OA is the equivalent to "screen scraping"

This Webinar features IBM i expert Alison Butterill, and Profound Logic’s Brian May and Alex Roytman.

Watch the On-demand Webinar Now!

Time to Remove the Paper from Your Desk and Become More Efficient

Do your users keep paperwork on their desk until it's processed? Are people constantly removing documents from filing cabinets? What happens when your company depends on an outdated document management strategy? Too much paper is wasted—approximately 1,000 pages per month per worker. Attempts to locate documents in endless filing cabinets drive your employees crazy. And distributing documents to customers, vendors, and business partners is expensive and takes up far too much time. These are just three common reasons why it might be time for your company to implement a paperless document management system. Watch the webinar to learn more and discover how easy it can be to:

Capture

Manage

And distribute documents digitally

Plus, our experts will provide a live demonstration of how implementing a document management solution will quickly solve your paper-based problems, so you can be more

IBM i: It’s Not Just AS/400

IBM’s Steve Will talks AS/400, POWER9, cognitive systems, and everything in between

Are there still companies that use AS400? Of course!

IBM i was built on the same foundation.Watch this recorded webinar with IBM i Chief Architect Steve Will and IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington to gain a unique perspective on the direction of this platform, including:

TRY the One Package That Solves All Your Document Design and Printing Challenges

Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Why support 5 different products, when you can do it all with MarkMagic?

Backup and Recovery on IBM i: Your Strategy for the Unexpected

Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include: - Simplified backup procedures - Easy data encryption - Save media management - Guided restoration - Seamless product integration Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits.Try the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution FREE for 30 days.

Manage IBM i Messages by Exception with Robot

Managing messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include: - Automated message management - Tailored notifications and automatic escalation - System-wide control of your IBM i partitions - Two-way system notifications from your mobile device - Seamless product integration Keep your critical applications and data available. Try the Robot Message Management Solution FREE for 30 days.

MS Office Connector for Query/400...FREE Trial!

NGS' Qport Office enables Windows users to run IBM Query/400 queries to: - Create and update Excel spreadsheets and Access databases - Create Word documents - Send to Windows screen and PC printers No query conversion is required. Works with i5/OS V5R1 & above. Installs in minutes! If you don’t have a budget to replace IBM Query/400, but want your users to have one click enhanced output of their queries.... Request the online license agreement and product download instructions today! Offer good through December 31, 2016.

Control and Monitor User Access from Desktop PCs (ODBC, FTP)

Protect your company by monitoring network traffic to your IBM i servers with the industry-leading exit program, PowerTech Network Security. Without visibility into IBM i's exit points, your users could be viewing, changing, or even deleting sensitive data—and you wouldn’t know! Network Security lets you monitor and control access to over 30 exit points, including:

ACO MONITOR Manages your IBM i 24/7 and Notifies You When Your IBM i Needs Assistance!

More than a paging system - ACO MONITOR is a complete systems management solution for your Power Systems running IBM i. Managing the complexities of today's operating systems, business applications, and networks challenges even the most knowledgeable IT professionals. The cost to an enterprise of unplanned downtime, loss of human expertise during sick leave or vacation, and system/application or environmental failure can be devastating. ACO MONITOR manages your Power System 24/7, uses advanced technology (like two-way messaging) to notify on-duty support personnel, and responds to complex problems before they reach critical status.